The Fan is a decent thriller with some top notch acting. Scream Factory has included some new features to be included in this release, so any fans of the film out there will be excited. Although there are better obsessed stalker films out there, this one still manages to entertain. Pick it up if the price is right.
“He is Sally Ross’ greatest fan … and greatest nightmare.
Hollywood legend Lauren Bacall (The Big Sleep) and Michael Biehn (The Terminator) tear up the screen in the edge-of-your-seat thriller, The Fan. Sally Ross (Bacall) is a renowned Broadway star, glamorous celebrity, and the object of adoration of countless admirers. But among all the loving little people lurks a young man (Biehn) whose devotion teeters on the edge of madness. His impassioned letters to her are initially a source of pleasure, but as he attempts to realize his ultimate fantasy – and is met with rejection – the stakes are raised to terrifying heights … which might bring on the final curtain for Sally.
Also starring James Garner, Maureen Stapleton, and Hector Elizondo, The Fan is a twisted tale of fame and obsession you’ll never forget.”
Obsession with the famous is unfortunately nothing new, with this craze being the cause of some horrific acts of violence such as the murder of John Lennon, the incident with Jodie Foster and her stalker trying to assassinate Ronald Regan, all taking place around the same time The Fan was released. With social media today abandoning all hopes of privacy for most celebrities, The Fan tells a story during a time when this wasn’t necessarily the case, when celebrities could keep their day-to-day activities private from the outside world. It paints a much more terrifying picture of this kind of crazed affection and derangement that has to be much more close and personal, making it much creepier today than I imagine it was then.
What struck me most about this film was how we’re immediately dropped into the mind of Douglas Breen (Michael Beihn) as he writes his fantasy letters to Sally Ross (Lauren Bacall). At the beginning, they seem much more innocent and playful, almost respectful in a way, but soon become much darker as the fantasy world he’s created is blocked time and again by those closest to Ross. Breen’s personal life is hinted at very slightly, with the sister coming to check on him as he insists, he has a high-profile guest over for dinner, his encounter with another man at a nightclub, all seem to indicate something deeper than what we see on the surface. Although the brief exposition provides a slight insight to his current psyche, it only scratches the surface as to what could have been a very interesting look at the mind of a violent criminal stalker who seems to have went severely off the deep end.
The film suffered from problems from the very start, with the studio insisting the film change from the book source material and a psychological thriller type to more of a slasher type horror film. With the original director leaving the picture because of this and Lauren Bacall herself upset at the changes, it’s amazing that the film was able to achieve what it did thanks to these harsh conditions. Still, the capitalization on that type of fear during the climate of Hollywood and of celebrities in general at the time is evident, and the story most likely suffered in the process. Lauren Bacall’s character Sally Ross and her husband Jake Berman (James Garner) have a very interesting relationship that’s explored throughout the film. Instead of being a story about an aging movie-star and her struggles with aging and being cast aside by her husband and by the public, this psycho enters her life that makes all of that story meaningless. Although there are aspects of this still left in the script that do seem to play well with Bacall’s character, it’s given a backseat to the slashing that commences when Breen doesn’t get his way.
The Fan is an interesting film, especially considering the exploration of celebrity obsession. While I think this could have been handled differently to make a much more compelling story, it has its moments as a twisted and horrific film that had quite a few surprises.
Video
The Fan is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1. This transfer looks to be in decent shape, not fitting the bill for Scream Factory’s new remastered version it still manages to be clear and detailed in most scenes. There is a bit of heavy grain and softness in some sequences, but overall no glaring issues that cause it to be detrimental to the viewing.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-Master Audio Mono. Nothing too extravagant with a mono track. Levels sound fine and there are no technical issues with the track that were noticed. The score is one of the best things about the film, with a suspenseful beat to it that is heavily reminiscent of Hitchcock, as are many sequences in the film overall.
Special Features
Surprisingly there are some new features on this disc, including an interview with Michael Biehn. His insights into the film and Lauren Bacall’s relationship with everyone else besides James Garner is fascinating, although I got extremely disappointed at some of his later comments generalizing the fans of the film.
- NEWNumber One Fan – An Interview With Actor Michael Biehn
- NEWFan Service – An Interview With Director Edward Bianchi
- NEWFanning The Flames – An Interview With Editor Alan Heim
- NEW Audio Commentary With Cult Film Director David DeCoteau And Film Historian David Del Valle, Moderated By Scream Factory Marketing Director Jeff Nelson
- Theatrical Trailer
- TV Spots
- Still Gallery
The Fan isn’t the greatest obsessed psycho-stalker film out there, but it definitely scratches the surface at becoming something unique. Regardless, it’s still a thrilling story that will entertain you, and fun to see Michael Beihn in one of his first movie roles.
